Page 49 of Something in Between

“It’s Royce!” I laugh.

“That’s the one. You loooooove him!” she says. “He was there? Tell me everything!”

“Yeah, he was there. He knew I would be there, so he went with his dad to the dinner.”

“What!”

“Yeah. So we, um... You know.”

Kayla gives another squeal. “Oh my God, good-girl Jasmine de los Santos, you hooked up with a boy!”

“We didn’thook uphook up... We just made out...”

She’s fully laughing now and gives me a squeeze. “You like him?”

“A lot.”So much.

“So when are you going to see him again?”

“I don’t know. My parents are being weird about it.”

“They won’t let you see him?”

“I don’t know. They haven’t said yes or no.” I nervously switch my backpack to my other shoulder.

“Well, that’s a start. Your parentsalwayssay no.”

“It is, isn’t it? Maybe it means they’ll say yes.” They have to, I think. I won’t take no for an answer this time. I’m a senior in high school—I’m allowed to have a boyfriend by now, aren’t I? We don’t live in the Philippines, we live in America. At least, right now we do. Even in my happiness, the dark cloud of our problem hangs heavily. “So, what’s up with you? How are things at home?”

“They suck. Let’s not talk about it. And I miss Dylan.”

“I’m sorry, K. Is he on tour with the band or something?”

“Yeah, Seattle now.”

“When is he back?”

“At the end of the month.”

“You’ll survive,” I say. “You really think my parents will say yes? That I can see Royce?”

“Why not? What are they going to do, lock you up in a tower?” She smirks.

If they could, they would, I think.

* * *

My parents don’t say yes, and they don’t say no either. What they say when I ask for permission again later that week is “Up to you.” Usually, when my parents say things are up to me, it means they want me to make the right decision for myself, to prove I’m responsible and can be trusted. I know they think that I’ll decide that I don’t have to see him. But they’re wrong.

“Okay, so if it’s up to me, I’m going to hang out with him on Saturday. He wants me to meet his family. I can’t drive, so he’s coming out here to pick me up and take me to meet them. Actually, just his mom, I already met his dad, but he’s back in D.C. right now. So is it okay if Royce picks me up?”

Dad raises his eyebrows and looks at Mom. “Is he a safe driver?” he asks.

“I’m sure he is.”

“Pilar?”

“We said it was up to her,” Mom says, getting up from the couch.

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